


Puzzle Pieces on the Same Page

by PeacefulDiscord



Series: Fit Along the Edges [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, F/M, Female Hatake Kakashi, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, Misunderstandings, Nagato is bab, Something like romance?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:08:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27431758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeacefulDiscord/pseuds/PeacefulDiscord
Summary: Since they met, it felt right. They were for each other, perfect in all the ways they could be, curves and lines matching up to fit just as they should.At least, that's what Yahiko thought. Nagato didn't agree.
Relationships: Konan/Nagato | Pain/Yahiko, implied Hatake Kakashi/Nagato | Pain
Series: Fit Along the Edges [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2004142
Kudos: 16
Collections: Naruto Poly Week





	Puzzle Pieces on the Same Page

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Please note the tags. Additionally, there is a hint of unsupportive parents so please read with caution if that is something that can be distressing to you.
> 
> I swear it fits a prompt, I'm just not sure which one XD

Yahiko bit back a scowl. He had no right. He knew he didn’t and still--

“So you’re not eating with us?” It sounded accusing. Konan gave him a warning look but he ignored it. He-- they had been waiting for today.  _ Planning  _ for today. After so much discussion, so much observation and consideration, they finally decided it was a good time to confess their feelings to Nagato. 

But lately, Nagato’s been pulling away.

Nagato looked down, lip caught between his teeth as he shuffled his feet. “Just this once, Yahiko,” he said softly, apologetically. “Kakashi and I, we-- just today, Hiko.”

“Been hearing that a lot lately,” he muttered, and, as true as it was, it wasn’t fair. The younger man looked distraught-- hiding behind his bangs again and loosely wrapping his arms around himself-- and the bitter taste of guilt was building in the pit of Yahiko's stomach. He knew if he kept pushing, kept being petulant, Nagato would stay. 

He’d cry first though, quick as he was with getting overwhelmed. 

Yahiko always hated when Nagato cried, never wanted to be the one that made it happen. So he forced a grin on his face, leery like he’d seen Jiraiya-sensei wear when he was trying too hard to seem cool and casually teasing. Waggling his eyebrows, he made himself say, “If you aren’t careful, Crybaby, people might think you and Hatake are a little more than friends.”

The joke felt like swallowing stones, jagged edged and tearing as it moved through his throat. He didn’t want Nagato to like Kakashi, he didn’t want to lose him--

Nagato blushed fiercely, the paleness of his cheeks turning as bright as his hair. “It’s n-not.. _ Konan _ ,” he looked at the girl a little desperately, unbearably shy, and suddenly Yahiko couldn’t breathe. Could see that even Konan was holding her breath, emotions carefully hidden. “Tell Hiko it’s not like that,” he complained, almost whining. 

“Yo, Nagato.” Hatake Kakashi’s scarfed face appeared through the cafeteria doors and just like that, Nagato wasn’t looking at them any longer, attention fully captured by the younger woman. 

“Coming!” He glanced back at them, barely skimming his eyes over theirs before hurrying away. “See you guys later!”

_ The first time Yahiko “met” Nagato, it was his and Konan’s senior year of high school. The sun had barely risen, the pale gray of early morning making him feel sluggish, Konan walking far more gracefully beside his trudging steps. They’d just rounded one of the side buildings, coming up beside the staircase, when a dark-clothed figure had dropped down on the sidewalk in front of them, having back-flipped off the railings two stories above, landing in a feline-like crouch before spinning on their heel and nearly walking right in Yahiko. The kid froze in open-mouthed surprise, staring at the older boy like somehow walking down the path normally was some shocking endeavor. _

_ But that isn’t what caught Yahiko’s attention, not even for a second.  _

_ The first thing he noticed was red hair, brighter than any rose-colored sunset, strands wisping like petals in the soft breeze. The next was slate gray eyes and Yahiko had to look up at the sky to see if somehow the clouds had left the wide expanse to culminate in those sharp orbs peering up at him.  _

_ “Holy shit, Nagato,” a guy had laughed from over the second story banister, camera in hand and recording. “No wonder you always make it to class on time.” _

_ But the boy, Nagato, didn’t look away from Yahiko. “I’m s-sorry.” He smiled shyly, running a hand through his hair. “Have a nice day?”  _

_With an awkward laugh and one last smile, he turned and took off down towards the courtyard_. 

Even then, so many years ago, something in him had made him want to follow the younger boy, just to talk to him for a few seconds longer. Now though, years after finally getting to know him, Yahiko could only watch, helpless, as Nagato turned away once more. Only watch, silent, as he got close, ducking his head next to Kakashi’s and whispering away, not once looking back as they disappeared out of the cafeteria. 

Back then, Nagato hadn’t looked back because he didn’t know them, and wasn't really interested in knowing them. Then they got to know each other and he always looked back. But now, or the past few weeks at least, he stopped looking back again. 

What if they were wrong all along?

“Maybe they’re really only just friends,” Konan said, but she wasn’t looking at him, wasn’t looking up from the origami flower she’d wanted to give the younger man, twirling about her fingers forlornly. “And, even if they weren’t, it would be...it’s good for him.” 

Yahiko shook his head. He didn’t want to think about that. 

  
  


One day had soon become two and then three and then Yahiko and Konan were barely seeing Nagato at all, just quick conversations shoved into the few seconds they saw one another between classes and work and their other responsibilities. Even their text messages were becoming more stilted, growing more and more rare until Nagato was barely responding at all. 

Every message was met with: “Sorry, I missed you! I’ve been so busy” or “Maybe next time” but whenever he was pressed for details, Nagato just stopped answering altogether. 

It took awhile to realize he wouldn’t respond and hit like a sucker punch after you’d already been knocked down. Pressed against his side, Konan mumbled, “I wish he’d just let us know how he’s doing. Or if he doesn’t want us to bother him anymore.” 

Yahiko didn’t answer, not yet. He didn’t think he could. All he could think about was the empty space beside him, the lithe body that usually fit snugly between Yahiko and Konan like the perfect puzzle piece. 

A puzzle piece he knew fit perfectly from the very second meeting they ever had. 

_ The day had been dragging on too long, the sun seeming to stay much too long in the sky and drying the air to dust around them.  _

_ “Ugh, should’ve brought clothes. Or a towel at least. It looks nice for a swim,” Yahiko grumbled, kicking his feet in the water. “The river isn’t even too rough today.” _

_ Konan snorted, somehow making the action delicate and graceful. “That’s never stopped you before.” _

_ Before Yahiko could respond, a loud splash sounded by the rickety bridge only a few yards away from them. Not too far from the broken pieces of wood, a mop of red was bobbing along the water, skinny arms flapping down as if to shove the water down.  _

_ “Nagato-nii!” A little boy in a bright orange jacket yelled, wrapping his arms tighter around a tiny puppy. His eyes darted up and down along the river before landing on Yahiko and Konan. He stumbled over to them, little legs tripping over themselves in his haste. “My cousin fell in the water! He can’t swim, ya know!” _

**_“What?”_ ** _ Yahiko kicked off his shoes, quickly wading into the water. The water was fairly deep, rising to just below his chin and still rough enough to make his feet slip on the rocky riverbed. “Why the hell would he go on a broken bridge then?!” _

_ He watched the guy’s head resurface for just a moment, that red hair clinging to his face in a way that might have been even more stifling than the water, before the guy slipped back under again. He lashed out, hands snagging out and grasping tightly onto first cloth and then wrapping around an arm. A hand reached back, snatching at Yahiko’s shirt.  _

_ With a quick jerk, the guy slammed against him, face pressed close to Yahiko’s neck. He felt thin fingers scrambling at his arms and then suddenly the guy was using Yahiko’s arms to brace his weight against, just managing to keep his head above the water.  _

_ Slate gray eyes met his and Yahiko felt as if he’d somehow fallen beneath the water without realizing it. With a few stumbling, half-dazed steps-- mostly led by Konan who’d reached in to help pull them out-- they managed to drag the other guy (Nagato, he recalled, and he couldn’t wait to try it on his tongue) back onto the shore.  _

_ Nagato stayed bracing against him, struggling for a few moments to catch his breath-- and Yahiko suddenly didn’t know what to do with his hands, awkwardly rubbing the younger boy’s back between letting it hover or fall to his sides for a few moments in turn-- before the little kid in orange barreled into them. “Nagato-nii! Nagato-nii, are you okay?” _

_ The red head smiled, bright as if he hadn’t nearly drowned, and crouched down, ruffling the boy’s blond hair affectionately. He glanced at Yahiko. “I am now.” _

_ “Didn’t you know that bridge is dangerous?” Yahiko blurted out. “What if we weren’t here?” _

_ Nagato tilted his head slightly. “I was trying to save the puppy-- he’d gotten stuck. And you were here...why should I wonder the what-if about it?” He smiled again. “Thank you for your help…” _

_ “Y-Yahiko. And uh, this, she’s Konan.” Oh god, he was flailing. The younger boy only smiled wider, clearly trying to make Yahiko spontaneously combust.  _

_ “Yahiko,” and the older boy wondered if his name always sounded so nice. Nagato ducked his head in a polite bow. “Konan. Thank you. I would like to meet again, under better circumstances, to thank you properly but I have to get Naruto-kun home.” _

_ He paused for a moment, hovering, before leaning forward quickly to hug both of them, one at a time, and Yahiko had to stop the ridiculous urge to hug this sort-of stranger for longer than was appropriate. “Really. I owe you both.” _

Back then, Nagato started appearing almost everywhere they were after that, too many crossed paths they hadn’t even recognized before, and it wasn’t long until they were able to put the puzzle pieces together, interlocked in a way few understood. Until Yahiko’s arms didn’t seem to know how to wrap so well around any other shape, never seeming to curve in any way that didn’t fit Konan or Nagato perfectly. 

But now Nagato was avoiding them. 

They kept seeing him despite the other boy’s reluctance to be around them, always too far for them to approach or catch up with, always scarlet mixing with silver-gray. Walking home from uni together or eating together or just hanging out together the way Nagato had been with them just a few weeks ago. Silver-gray and scarlet, like gaudy Christmas tinsel displayed much too early.

He could relearn, his arms would reset like any broken bone put in a cast. 

Just as the puzzle would learn to look complete even without that one perfect piece. 

It was too bad though, how truth could not be replaced with deceit. 

  
  
  


“Just friends,” Yahiko scoffed, tossing his phone aside and turning away from his dorm window. 

He’d been about to call the younger man but-- he looked back out the window. 

Beneath it, Nagato was tangled up on a picnic blanket, his legs looped with Kakashi’s and head falling across the lap of some long-haired guy Yahiko thought was maybe on the soccer team. They had others around them-- a guy dressed in atrocious green, a girl with a dangerous smile cuddled close with a girl who looked far too sweet, and a girl with a pig (he wasn’t even surprised, uni was that weird)-- but Nagato wasn’t really paying attention to them, his eyes fixed on the Hatake eagerly. 

Yahiko almost wished he’d known ahead of time that Nagato was there. He wouldn’t have looked out the window. But then, then he wouldn’t have seen Nagato at all and it's been  _ weeks _ . Damn it. 

“Jealousy’s not a good look on you, Yahiko,” Konan whispered, but she couldn’t do more than glance out the window for a second before turning away, lip trembling. 

The origami flower she’d made weeks ago now rested on Yahiko’s desk, slowly becoming a permanent fixture or ornament now that Nagato hadn’t time for them to give it to him or for him to take it himself. Yahiko cast a disdainful eye on it and had to hold back a laugh (that sat in his chest like the choked hitching of a sob).

Even the paper looked like it was wilting. 

  
  
  


The breaking point came the day before Thanksgiving.

“What do you mean, ‘You can’t make it’?” Yahiko cried. “This is our  _ thing _ , Nagato! We always celebrate the holidays together before we’ve to spend it with our families.”

The other man was on speaker phone, apparently too busy to even cancel their yearly tradition in person.

“I know! It’s just-- I’m a bit busy.” The excuse sounded weak.

“We could meet up earlier?” Konan offered, hopefully. “Instead of Thanksgiving lunch, we could have breakfast?” 

There was a long pause. 

“Nagato? You there?” Yahiko slumped down on the couch, snapping his fingers at the phone. “Earth to Nagato, hello, testing, testing.” 

When his voice came, it shook, overly meek and hesitant. Like he was nervous. “I promised Kakashi I would hang out with her.” 

Oh. No, not nervous.  _ Guilty _ . For fuck’s sake. 

“Oh. That’s nice, Nagato,” Konan said after a moment, voice carefully cheerful. “We’ll see you later?” 

“Fat chance,” Yahiko muttered.

Konan shot him a warning glance but it was too late; Nagato had heard him.

“H-Hiko?” Yahiko could practically hear Nagato wincing through the phone, knew the younger man was probably twisting at his fingers and hiding behind his hair even though no one was there to see him. “Are you-- is everything okay?”

He could see Konan from the corner of his eye, see her reaching out to grip his arm, and pulled away before she could try and get him to stay quiet. 

“I don’t know, Nagato, is it?” He shouldn’t lash out, he shouldn’t lash out. It wasn’t fair. But-- “If you don’t want to put up with us anymore, just come out and say it instead of hiding!”

“T-that’s not--” Again another pause, but longer, and Yahiko just didn’t have the patience for it, not now. 

“Forget about it, Nagato,” he sighed. “If you’re happy with her and happy hanging out with her friends, then that’s what matters, yeah? We’re still here if you need us.”

He didn’t wait for a response, hanging up and falling back onto his bed, chest tight and heavy like Nagato’s dog had just cannoned into his chest with armor on. 

“We missed our chance,” he whispered, and it sounded hollow. Factual and emotionless as if his heart hadn’t completely shattered. “Konan…”

Almost two years. He and Konan waited almost two years, having been there to pull Nagato out of his abusive relationship, putting back each piece that his bastard ex-boyfriend had been adamant on trying to take or break--

(And Yahiko could still remember holding Nagato against him, holding him until the tears finally stopped and Konan could bandage him up. His knuckles still ached in the cold from when he broke his hands hitting the man that had made beating Nagato some sick sort of game. Yahiko knew then, when Nagato had held his hands with its broken knuckles close to his chest almost reverently, when the younger man could  _ finally  _ accept he was safe, that he would do anything so Nagato wouldn’t cry or hurt again).

\-- waiting for all the pieces to fit back together again before confessing how they felt. 

But now it was too late. 

He should be happy, he knew he should. Nagato was happy, delighted even, in a way Yahiko couldn’t remember he’d ever seen him, and that should’ve been enough for Yahiko. He had Konan, he’s always had Konan, and she had always felt a touch too perfect, a blessing too large to hold and yet, now that they knew how Nagato fit between them, what once was perfect now had a gaping hold cast right in the middle of it. 

But he wanted Nagato to be happy, and that was the end of it. He’d do whatever it took--

“We missed our chance.”

\-- even if it meant letting go. 

  
  


Yahiko hissed out, slapping at his alarm clock before realizing the ringing was coming from the door. Ten minutes. He’d been asleep for ten fucking minutes. Pressing a kiss to Konan’s hair between muttered curses, he stumbled out of his bed, swinging the door open impatiently. 

Nagato stood on the doormat, snow clinging to his clothes and hair in thick swathes, ice crystals all but sparkling under the cold winter moon. He held up a bag, food containers peeking through the thin white plastic, and peered up at Yahiko hopefully. “May I...may I c-come in?”

“The hell, Nagato? You’re not even dressed for the weather!” Yahiko scolded, yanking the man over the threshold and shutting the door firmly on the winter chill. 

Konan woke then, peering up from the covers. “You need to take off your wet clothes.”

Nagato nodded. “I br-brought food,” he said, dropping the bag onto Yahiko’s desk and hurriedly trying to shuck off the thin jacket and sweater he had on. His hands hovered at his pants button, the light blue material dark with melted snow and ice. 

“That too. Yahiko--”

The orange-haired boy sighed, dry clothes already in hand. “Got it.” He shoved his sweater over Nagato’s head, ignoring the younger man’s squawk of protest, before wrapping his fluffiest robe around him and tying the belt tightly. “There. Gimme your wet clothes.”

The younger man blushed but quickly did as told, all but shoving his pants into Yahiko’s arms and hurrying to curl up in the desk chair, smoothing the fabric firmly down on his legs while he burrowed into the neckline. Yahiko frowned. “Why are you even here now? Do you see what time it is?”

They hadn’t even known he was coming. Ice and darkness and winter freezes were no man’s friend, causes for injury or people waiting for a quick payday hiding in every corner, hidden and natural just like the shadows. What if he had gotten hurt on the way?

“I ha-had to explain,” he stammered out, his teeth still chattering from the cold. Konan frowned, getting off from the bed and bringing the blanket with her, tucking the thick edges around Nagato before brushing his wet hair from his face.

“Explain what, Red?” she asked softly. “What is that important now?”

“I’m..I’m not avoiding or t-tired of you guys,” he whispered. “I just--” he took a deep breath. “My parents kicked me out, they found out about my ex and that I wasn’t straight and... and I-I have always relied on the two of you. More than I should! And I just wanted to prove that I didn’t, that I could, I could take care of  _ myself _ . So I...you know I’m friends with Genma and he introduced me to Kakashi which is how I got a better job and she introduced me to Gai who needed a roommate and I knew if I told you, you guys would’ve just taken care of everything but I...I wanted, I  _ had  _ to do it myself.” He paused for a moment, tugging at a loose strand of his hair. “I always make you worry.” 

“Wait,” Yahiko held a hand up. “You were  _ kicked out _ of your house for these past weeks and you wanted to  _ hide  _ that from us?”

“I can’t, I can’t keep depending on you. And I knew if I was around you guys, I’d tell you everything so I... I had to stay away a bit.” Nagato protested, albeit sheepishly, looking down at his hands. “But everything’s fine now! I had my savings to fall back on and now I’ve a new job that pays better...” 

“We’re your friends,” Konan snapped, uncharacteristically angry. “It’s  _ okay  _ to rely on us!!”

“I... just friends?” Nagato suddenly looked crestfallen, looking from Konan to Yahiko and back again. “Is that...is that all we are?”

They both paused then. “What?”

“I thought that we weren’t..that, that maybe--”

“Maybe what?” Yahiko said incredulously. 

“No, wait, we should talk about this whole situation--” Konan began.

“I didn’t, not  _ just  _ friends, at least,” Nagato spoke at the same time.

“‘Not just friends?’ Nagato--” Yahiko could feel the hope pounding at his heart, making it swell so large he was losing his breath. 

“No, no, Yahiko, he’s  _ homeless _ .”

Nagato fidgeted with the blanket. “I mean, not really. I’m sharing an apartment now, it’s okay.”

“It’s  _ not-- _ fine, whatever. What did you mean by ‘not just friends’, Nagato?” Konan fixed him with a sharp stare. 

The younger man looked flustered, twisting the blanket even more tightly between his fingers. “N-never mind. I--”

“Nagato, just answer the question,” Yahiko was almost desperate to hear what the younger man had to say. He moved to sit near the chair, crouched low so Nagato couldn’t keep trying to hide his face. “Please.”

Going as crimson as his hair, Nagato dropped his head down to hide futilely against Konan’s shoulder. “I was going to… I thought you... I wanted to ask you out. After everything was settled,” he said a little meekly. 

The older two blinked. “Ask who out?”

“Both of you?” Nagato squeaked. He looked up at them, dark eyes piercing, glittering, with uncertainty and ill-hidden anticipation. “I thought you two were-- I mean, if you’re not then this never happened. I’m not here and I never said anything--”

“What about Kakashi?” Yahiko couldn’t help but ask. 

“What about her?” Nagato’s eyes widened suddenly. “Oh! Her and Obito are going to get married soon.” 

Something in Yahiko’s brain short-circuited. “What?”

“Yeah! Isn’t that nice? They’re so  _ cute _ \--” he caught himself before he could keep gushing. “But what does that have to do with…?”

“You're not dating Kakashi?” Konan asked carefully.

“No,” Nagato frowned. “Did you think--”

“And you don’t like her? Or any of your other friends?”

“No? I mean, you guys, obviously…” he pouted a bit. “Why--?”

“Oh my fucking god,” Konan lurched forwards, hands tangling in Nagato’s hair and pulling him in for a kiss. “I can’t believe...we’ve been so stupid,” she muttered between pressing their lips together. 

Yahiko couldn’t help but agree, albeit silently, more eager to do something else than talking. He waited just long enough for Konan to pull away, just barely sitting back, before reaching to cup Nagato’s head with one hand and bracing the other on the chair. He let the younger man catch his breath for a moment before leaning down and stealing it away again.

He grinned when he felt hands clutching at his shirt, glad to see they were all finally on the same page. 

After all, they really had a lot of time to make up for. 

**Author's Note:**

> I should've warned you romance and feelings aren't my forte but I thought this explained it well enough. Let me know what you guys think!
> 
> Stay well, everyone :)


End file.
